Austin is a city in Mower County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 24,718 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Mower County. Austin is located at the intersection of Interstate Highway 90 and U.S. Highway 218 in the southeastern part of the state.

The town was originally settled along the Cedar River and it has two man-made lakes called East Side Lake and Mill pond. The town was named for Austin R. Nichols, the first settler in the area.

Community Service Officers

Community Service Officers

The Community Service Officer (CSO) program is a vital part of the Police Department. The CSOs patrol the city in a fully marked police vehicle and respond to assist citizens, and enforce minor violations of city ordinances and state laws. The CSO unit received a new 2013 4×4 Ford F-150 truck that meets the growing needs of the CSO program and doubles as a patrol vehicle for sworn police officers during winter storms.

The CSOs are primarily responsible for responding to and handling calls related to animal complaints, bicycle thefts, parking complaints, and some minor juvenile status offenses. The CSOs are also responsible for the care and maintenance of the city’s new animal shelter and the animals being housed there.

The CSO program is staffed by two full-time and one part-time CSO. CSOs Jim Dugan and Tim Voorhees work full-time, while CSO Ernesto Cantu is part-time. CSO Dugan has been with the department since 2001 and works 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday-Friday. CSO Voorhees is the newest CSO and works primarily from 4:00 pm to 12:00 am on a rotating schedule. CSO Cantu has been with the department since 1999 and fills in on the evening and weekend shifts.